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This thread is about everything technical about SACD/DVD-A except reviews of the music itself. Comments about the music itself are welcome, especially to help explain what the reviewer heard and/or referencing another title that will help readers to understand the reviewer's opinion. Discussions of all aspects of hardware to play them are ON topic though "certain aspects" of networked media tanks should be done by PM.

It has been suggested, and I concur, that reviews of multichannel Blu-rays/HD-DVDs be included. So if you are reading this and want to post a review of that media, please go ahead and post!

Jeff

Suggestions to standardize the reviews -
Please put the ARTIST, then title and then SACD or DVD-A in the post subject line. It will make it easier to alphabetize first by artist and then title. And it will help the reviews stand out from our other bantering.
Please include the label and catalog number as well as the year of the original recording.

Use a 1 to 10 scale when rating sound quality, with 10 being the highest rating.

If you have the Red Book CD, a comment or two comparing the hi-res version to the CD would be helpful.

Title Info

MCH layer Sound Quality (Transparency, Detail and Dynamics):

Stereo layer Sound Quality (Transparency, Detail and Dynamics):

If MCH, please comment on the use of the surrounds, i.e. used mostly for ambiance or are vocals and instruments fully spread around the room?

Great idea pepar.(I offered it several years ago but got shutdown)
I think it should be mandatory to list one's complete system components AND room description.
Way to go guy.
One caveat, I have dual-discs that are DVD-A on one side and CD on the other.
These should definitely be included as they are DVD-A.
What about the rating standard?
Should we go with a 100 point scale? 5 star scale?
I would suggest rating categories for content, recording\\mastering and mix.

It ain't ignorance causes so much trouble; it's folks knowing so much that ain't so

Great idea pepar.(I offered it several years ago but got shutdown)
I think it should be mandatory to list one's complete system components AND room description.
Way to go guy.
One caveat, I have dual-discs that are DVD-A on one side and CD on the other.
These should definitely be included as they are DVD-A.
What about the rating standard?
Should we go with a 100 point scale? 5 star scale?
I would suggest rating categories for content, recording\\mastering and mix.

Yes, definitely, a DVD-A side puts it into the thread!

I think the system info is good to have, and room description might be of interest to some, but describing one's own room might too subjective. And many will not have anything to "measure" it against and therefore may not really know the strengths and weaknesses.

Personally, wrt the system, I am *most* interested in knowing what the speakers are and where they are. But a few comments on the room are welcomed ... maybe comments on acoustical treatments.

But mostly I see this thread's best purpose is to give members info on stereo vs multichannel and sound quality .. compared to the CD and compared to the best SACD/DVD-A.

Fagen, Becker & Co are masters IMO at surround mixes. I hear phantom images between each pair of speakers all around the room. Harmonies, background vocals are all around. Ditto instruments, though the main drumset is in LCR. Percussion moves around.

System Info

Pre/pro/AVR
AVR:
or Pre/pro: Onk 5508
Main Amplification: ATI 2507

Speakers
FR/FL:M&K S-150
Center: M&K-S-150AC

Surrounds: M&K S-150
Surround angle from CC: 120°

Rear Surrounds (if used for MCH hi-res audio): present, not used for 5.1 MCH
Rear surround angle from CC:

Is this a request for a review of Layla? If so I have it and will give it a listen when I get a chance. I haven't listened to this SACD in a long time so it will be a pleasure to give it a spin. I'm a HUGE Duane Allman fan so my thoughts might be a little biased.

Might I suggest (if someone has the time) to keep a master list of technical reviews up at the top of the thread (I think there is something similar in the blu ray software area). Break the list into subsections based on audio quality.

For instance, I would rate Hiromi's Jazz SACDs from Telarc at the top of the list (5 star???). Also Lord of the Rings DVD-As.

Is this a request for a review of Layla? If so I have it and will give it a listen when I get a chance. I haven't listened to this SACD in a long time so it will be a pleasure to give it a spin. I'm a HUGE Duane Allman fan so my thoughts might be a little biased.

Bill

Yep, a request for a review. I recently bought Eat A Peach and, while I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet, Duane Allman is on my mind. And beyond that are some Clapton MCH SACDs that are available relatively cheap.

Might I suggest (if someone has the time) to keep a master list of technical reviews up at the top of the thread (I think there is something similar in the blu ray software area). Break the list into subsections based on audio quality.

For instance, I would rate Hiromi's Jazz SACDs from Telarc at the top of the list (5 star???). Also Lord of the Rings DVD-As.

Thanks!

Marcus

I reserved the second post with that in mind. As reviews are posted, I will catalog and link them in the second post.

Hiromi? I am definitely interested in your review(s). Lord Of The Rings? Soundtrack???

Yep, a request for a review. I recently bought Eat A Peach and, while I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet, Duane Allman is on my mind. And beyond that are some Clapton MCH SACDs that are available relatively cheap.

Jeff

When I get a chance I will give Layla a listen. I have both Clapton SACDs and I would pass on Slowhand. In one song (track 4?) there is obvious audible distortion in Clapton's vocal. I like 461 Ocean Blvd very much and I feel it is a much better album than Slowhand.

When I get a chance I will give Layla a listen. I have both Clapton SACDs and I would pass on Slowhand. In one song (track 4?) there is obvious audible distortion in Clapton's vocal. I like 461 Ocean Blvd very much and I feel it is a much better album than Slowhand.

Bill

Gotta go with Bill on that one. This thread will prove to be a great excuse to pull out some archived discs and give another good hard listen!

Yep, a request for a review. I recently bought Eat A Peach and, while I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet, Duane Allman is on my mind. And beyond that are some Clapton MCH SACDs that are available relatively cheap.

Jeff

Jeff-no Allman Brothers/Live At The Fillmore East in your collection? I've probably spun this disc more than any in my collection.

Gotta go with Bill on that one. This thread will prove to be a great excuse to pull out some archived discs and give another good hard listen!

I think this thread is likely to focus us and members interested in SACD/DVD-A on technical issues and I refer mostly to sound quality. A source that has not been remastered probably won't sound much better than the CD and people should know that before they spend their money.

Pulling out existing titles and listening to them for the aforementioned technicals will give everybody a better overall understanding of what's out there.

I noticed you have a library you created on SA-CD.net. Can you tell me how you created this? I am a member of SA-CD.net but could not find a way to create this. It would be very helpful. Now I just keep a running Work document for all my hi-rez audio. Thanks.

I noticed you have a library you created on SA-CD.net. Can you tell me how you created this? I am a member of SA-CD.net but could not find a way to create this. It would be very helpful. Now I just keep a running Work document for all my hi-rez audio. Thanks.

From Martin/USAF:

Search on a particular title and select the add to library button.

Tip: If you have a lot of the popular discs, you can pull up the "recommended" list from the pull down menu and go through a bunch that way. The odd ones I just had to search/pull up individual discs to get to the "add" button.

Under "edit details" make sure you click "my library for public viewing" if you want others to see your library.

I noticed you have a library you created on SA-CD.net. Can you tell me how you created this? I am a member of SA-CD.net but could not find a way to create this. It would be very helpful. Now I just keep a running Work document for all my hi-rez audio. Thanks.

When logged in, pull down the menu top right. Look for "My Library" and select/go there. You populate it by navigating to a particular title and looking for the button - TO THE LEFT OF THE ALBUM COVER ART - to add it to your library. You can also follow the advice above for finding en masses a lot of titles.